Charity Gala Concert revived for York 800 celebrations (From York Press)

Charity Gala Concert revived for York 800 celebrations

9:18am Monday 13th February 2012 in News By Mike Laycock, Chief reporter

IT was last staged in the early 1980s – but now the Lord Mayor of York’s Charity Gala Concert is being revived as part of the York 800 celebrations.

The concert will take place at York Theatre Royal and will feature a host of local talent, say two of the organisers, Graham Bradbury and Geoff Turner.

Mr Bradbury, whose father Fred, started off the concerts in the late 1970s, said York Light Opera would be performing songs from ABBA and Anything Goes, while York Stage Musicals would perform extracts from Billy Elliott.

There would also be performances from Attitude Dance Club, the Shipley family, the New York Brass Band, tenor Chris Jay, JazzKats and Spirit Of Harmony. The concert will be at 7pm on Sunday, March 25, with tickets costing between £5 and £10.

Mr Bradbury said: “Top of the bill will be the soprano Rebecca Newman, and the event, which is sponsored by Mulberry Hall and Browns department store, will be presented by Adam Tomlinson of BBC Radio York.

“We are hoping that with tickets so reasonably priced, the concert will be a sell-out, and raise thousands of pounds for the Lord Mayor’s charities, York And District Mind and York Against Cancer.”

The concert is the latest in a series of fundraising activities being staged during Coun David Horton’s year as Lord Mayor.

It is also one of almost 60 events being scheduled this year to mark the 800th anniversary of King John granting York a Royal Charter in 1212, which allowed the city to take charge of its financial affairs, trade freely and create a council led by a mayor.

Tickets for the concert are available from the York Theatre Royal box office on 01904 623568.